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The South African Communist Party (SACP) conveys its message of heartfelt condolences to the family of our liberation struggle stalwart Dr Frene Noshir Ginwala (25 April 1932 – 12 January 2023).

The SACP also sends its condolences to the liberation movement, her colleagues in the various fields she was involved in, as well as all justice and peace-loving people across South Africa and the world.

From a young school-going age, Ginwala had the political consciousness to confront apartheid stooges, questioning her exclusion from schools which had been placed in positions of privilege by the apartheid system’s politics of race, class and gender exclusion. As apartheid laws tightened, she threw herself fully into the fight for justice and freedom. In the underground, she created secret hideouts and transits for activists and leaders of the African National Congress, including Oliver Tambo, among many others.

Following the Sharpeville massacre and state of emergency, Ginwala was forced to exile, where she continued her activism and played a leadership role in various fields. In exile, Ginwala utilised her skills as a lawyer, academic, leader, activist and journalist to rally the world to give solidarity to the struggle against apartheid. She exposed the regime’s crimes to the world, addressing various institutions, as well as writing for and representing the liberation movement. On her return to South Africa in 1991, she continued her activism, contributing to laying the ground for a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic South Africa.

Following the dislodging of the apartheid system, Ginwala served as the first Speaker of the National Assembly of democratic South Africa from 1994 to 2004. It was during her tenure that South Africa adopted its first democratic constitution, repealed and amended a myriad of colonial and apartheid era laws and policies.

In 2005, The Presidency awarded Dr Ginwala the prestigious Order of Luthuli in Silver for her excellent contribution to the struggle against gender oppression and her tireless contribution to the struggle for a non-sexist, non-racial, just and democratic society.

In her memory, the SACP will continue its work to unite the people of South Africa, the majority of whom are working-class and poor, deepen the non-racial transformation path and defend our democratic national sovereignty. The SACP will also deepen its work to galvanise the working-class to wage a relentless fight against imperialism, and also be actively involved in giving solidarity to other people who are still waging their respective struggles against imperialism, including Cuba, Western Sahara and Palestine, struggles which Dr Frene Ginwala was also passionate about.

Issued by SACP